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Science 5 December 1997:
Vol. 278. no. 5344, pp. 1774 - 1776
DOI: 10.1126/science.278.5344.1774
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Reports

The 18O/16O and 17O/16O Ratios in Atmospheric Nitrous Oxide: A Mass-Independent Anomaly

Steven S. Cliff, Mark H. Thiemens *

Measurements of the oxygen isotope ratios (18O/16O and 17O/16O) in atmospheric nitrous oxide (N2O) from La Jolla, Pasadena, and the White Mountain Research Station (elevation, 3801 meters) in California and the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico show that N2O has a mass-independent composition. These data suggest the presence of a previously undefined atmospheric process. The La Jolla samples can be explained by a mixing between an atmospherically derived source of mass-independent N2O and biologically derived mass-dependent N2O. Possible origins of the mass-independent anomaly in N2O are discussed.

Department of Chemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0356, USA.
*   To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mht{at}chem.ucsd.edu

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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Mass-Independent Oxygen Isotope Fractionation in Atmospheric CO as a Result of the Reaction CO + OH.
T. Röckmann, C. A. Brenninkmeijer, G. Saueressig, P. Bergamaschi, J. N. Crowley, H. Fischer, and P. J. Crutzen (1998)
Science 281, 544-546
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Atmosphere-Surface Interactions on Mars: Delta 17O Measurements of Carbonate from ALH 84001 .
J. Farquhar, M. H. Thiemens, and T. Jackson (1998)
Science 280, 1580-1582
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Isotopic Fractionation of Stratospheric Nitrous Oxide.
Y. L. Yung and C. E. Miller (1997)
Science 278, 1778-1780
   Abstract »    Full Text »


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